Face mask for DCFC and Royal Derby Hospital

We worked with Royal Derby Hospital to create a custom protective face mask for a Derby County football player.

What we were asked

epm were approached by the Royal Derby Hospital on Wednesday 27th January 2016 to assist in the creation of a protective face mask for a Derby Country footballer made from aerospace-grade carbon fibre. The mask would be worn on Friday 29th January 2016 during a high-profile match shown live on national TV.

Informing us of their specific requirements, the hospital needed time to perfect the fit of the mask and the player needed time to wear it during training for optimum comfort.

What we did

Our engineers had limited time due to the duration of the mould curing process, so they quickly got to work on creating a negative from the supplied mould of the player’s face. We delivered the mask to the hospital by Thursday afternoon 24 hours after the initial request.

Outcome

The player was extremely happy with the fit and we showcased our high-performance engineering skills to a national TV audience during a high-profile FA cup, 4th round match on Friday evening at Derby iPro stadium.

“When the call came in, we did all we could to help, as both the hospital and the football club are big parts of our community,” EPM – Business Development Team commented. “The guys on the shop floor were also very happy to get involved as the majority of our team are Derby County fans!”

We did everything we could to help, as both the hospital and the football club are big parts of our community- EPM Business Development Team

Our mask received plenty of attention across social media and from the TV commentators. Royal Derby Hospital were pleased with our work too, telling us they had “nothing but great feedback from the player and the club.”

The quick turnaround of such a bespoke piece of work for the medical sector demonstrates the ever-growing capabilities of carbon composites and the role that advanced high-performance engineering will play in the future of every aspect of our lives.